Our Team



Emil Muzafarov, Programming

Emil Muzafarov is a rising junior at Brooklyn Technical High School. He has a year of experience in coding in python and over the summer he wants to get practice with what he learned in the field. He is open to learning new information and adjusting his methods to fit the working environment. His strengths include presentation skills, taking initiative, working collaboratively, and taking accountability. He considers himself a responsible person and if he starts doing something, he will finish it to the best of my ability. He’s constantly looking for new opportunities to learn new skills and apply them to create something of value to him, which is why he’s excited to get started participating in and organizing hackathons.

Dean Chen, Programming

Dean Chen is a high school student in Schreiber D. High. He is a sophomore about to become a junior. He enjoys mathematics, coding and science. He knows javascript and a little bit of C# and python. He knows how to use React js and am learning new concepts to improve his web making skills. He enjoys playing basketball. His favorite video games are Bloodborne, Minecraft, and God of War. He wants to also learn C++ just in case he wants to develop games on Unreal Engine in the future. His favorite books are the whole Harry Potter Series and the Hunger Games.

Caden Li, Programming

Caden Li is a rising junior at Great Neck South High School located in Long Island. He is passionate about all things STEM-related, especially computer science and engineering. His passion drives him to participate in all kinds of competitions such as hackathons, FRC robotics, and Science Olympiad among other things. In his free time, he enjoys playing various sports such as soccer or basketball, as well as playing Valorant and Minecraft.

Katie Young, Programming

Katie Young is a rising junior at Methacton High School. She is passionate about business and technology. She takes part in hackathons, science fairs, and many clubs. Two clubs that Katie’s heavily involved in are Programming Club and GWC (Girls Who Code). Her knowledge of programming languages consists of python, java, CSS, and HTML. Outside of programming, she enjoys going on hikes, playing games, skiing, traveling, and volunteering. She is looking forward to meeting new people and making this hackathon a positive experience for everyone.

Vihaan Sondhi, Finance

Vihaan Sondhi is a rising sophomore at Hunter College High School. He’s always been deeply passionate about computers and computer science and aims to use his position at Teen Hacks Long Island to spread that passion among others in the neighborhoods around him. Vihaan is deeply interested in AI and machine learning as well, especially since the growth of large language models like ChatGPT, and also enjoys dealing with finance. In his free time, you’ll find him reading, playing the guitar, or watching American football.

Zhuo En Chua, Finance

Zhuo En Chua is a talented and highly driven individual passionate about programming, cybersecurity, and computing. Hailing from Singapore with a diverse skill set encompassing various programming languages, cybersecurity experience, and theoretical knowledge, she is determined to achieve great things with her know-how. She also likes meeting new people and believes that hackathons are a great place for that to happen, having met some of her closest friends through hackathons. With a strong track record of achievements and a commitment to continuous learning, Zhuo En hopes to make a significant impact on the field of Computer Science.

Ethan Tuen, Finance

Ethan is a rising senior at Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington. Gaming and computer science has always been fascinating to him. The ability to connect people from all different backgrounds and all over the world with a single application has always been mind-blowing and awesome. A hackathon is a fun concept for many people also interested in computer science to gather around and share their love and meet others who are the same. He hopes that through hackathons many will improve their coding skills, have a lot of fun, make new friends, and learn more about people who have the same interests.

Riyan Islam, Finance

Riyan Islam is a Sophomore at Commack High School and is dedicated to utilize STEM based resources to help improve the community. Riyan is passionate and eager to explore the many opportunities STEM can offer to him through the Hackathon. With Computer Science being a growing subject of education, Riyan wishes to use his experiences to introduce computer science to his peers, as he's accomplished with a few of his peers. Outside of the programming world, Riyan has many hobbies he participates in outside of school. Riyan loves to improve himself through intense gym and basketball workouts, meditation, and spending quality time with loved ones. No matter what task Riyan faces, he is able to accomplish those tasks through his various skill sets. Additionally, Riyan strives to benefit his community by participating in community service based activities and encouraging his peers to support each respective cause.

Jonathan Jia, Finance

Jonathan Jia is a rising junior at Great Neck South High School who has an interest in STEM, particularly the field of computer science. He enjoys working on coding problems and expanding his knowledge of computer science to improve his skills in the field. Aside from being involved in computer science, Jonathan participates in robotics, takes part in debate competitions, and is part of his school’s badminton team. As a part of TeenHacks LI, he plans to expand the organization and inspire others to get involved in computer science.

Kyle Lee, Marketing

Kyle Lee is a Junior at Jericho High School who has a passion for computer science and art. From a young age, Kyle was particularly fond of the STEM field, and over the years, his interest in working with numbers and problem-solving would lead to his discovery of coding and programming. In his free time, Kyle enjoys drawing, solving problems, working on projects, theory crafting in games, and rock climbing. Through TeenHacksLI, he hopes to spread word of his passion, gain new experiences, and learn more about the world of programming.

Ioana Nedelcu, Marketing

Ioana is a rising senior at I.E.S Estados del Duque in Spain. Originally from Romania, she has been passionate about robotics and design from a young age. In her free time, she enjoys attending hackathons (such as TXACkathon, hosted in Madrid, and the TechTogether New York), learning about programming, physics, and mathematics, as well as drawing and writing stories from her imagination. Thanks to this she has won various creative writing contests. She also loves nature and running through the countryside. Through TeenHacks LI, she hopes to meet like-minded individuals and gain valuable experience. In the future, Ioana aspires to inspire other young girls to pursue their dreams and use technology to help others.

Jocelyn Wang, Marketing

Jocelyn is currently a junior at Jericho High School who is passionate about computer science, mathematics, and STEM in general. For this reason, she has participated in various mathematics and computer science competitions, where she has built her technical abilities, gained experience, and met many different kinds of people. In her free time, Jocelyn enjoys drawing, playing tennis, enjoying nature, playing Tetris, and watching animated movies. As part of TeenHacks LI, Jocelyn hopes to help various students in Long Island discover a passion for coding and programming and build an active community of students that can continue to support each other.

Ethan Wu, Logistics

Ethan is a junior at Great Neck South High School. At school, Ethan enjoys playing music in the wind ensemble and pretending to do work during his science research class. Outside of school, Ethan spends his time listening to music, swimming, and playing basketball. Ethan is excited to be a part of an event in which so many people can collaborate and innovate novel ideas to emerging and current issues.

Leon Lian, Logistics

Leon, a senior at Great Neck South High School, is passionate about physics, math, and programming. In his free time, he enjoys solving competitive programming problems and playing basketball. Driven by his enthusiasm for programming, Leon joined Teenhacks with the goal of bringing people together and inspiring them to become programmers.

Aadhyaa Gauli, Logistics

As an event day coordinator with a passion for creating memorable experiences, Aadhyaa has all the qualities needed to excel in hosting a hackathon. With a keen eye for detail and a natural knack for organisation, Aadhyaa's enthusiasm and commitment to delivering an exceptional experience or her ability to stay calm under pressure will serve you well in the fast-paced environment of a hackathon.She is sure to bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions to the table, making the hackathon a success and leaving a lasting impact on all involved.

Brian Dai, Logistics

Brian Dai has years of expertise in a variety of programming languages, such as Python, Java, and C++. He has gained experience working on a diverse range of projects, including web development, data analysis, and machine learning. Throughout his career, Brian has developed a solid understanding of software development principles and has honed his problem-solving and debugging abilities. In addition to his programming skills, Brian possesses significant project management and event planning expertise. He has successfully led teams and executed large-scale events, ensuring seamless logistics, excellent communication, and on-time deliverables. Brian's exceptional ability to prioritize tasks, pay attention to detail, and maintain a well-organized approach has played a crucial role in completing projects within specified timelines while fostering a positive and cooperative work environment.

Lim Qi Zao, Public Relations

Qi Zao loves programming and math. These subjects are important to him as it gives him a great sense of accomplishment whenever he gets to solve a problem that he got stuck in for a long time. Furthermore, Qi Zao has always actively pushed to make a positive impact in society. Whether it is being part of the organizing committees of charities, teaching underprivileged children or organizing the school annual ball, he is always trying to be part of the community that brings positive change to society. Through helping in organizing hackathons, Qi Zao wishes to spread his passion for programming and help strengthen the community of makers in Long Island.

Ray Kong, Public Relations

Ray is currently a senior at Brooklyn Technical High School, where he majors in Software Engineering. His first experience with computer science came while working with Arduinos in his freshman physics class, but he developed a passion for coding after taking a computer science class the following year. He uses computer science as a creative medium, designing fun programs and solving difficult problems. Aside from coding, Ray enjoys being physically active, playing handball, basketball, and going to the gym. As a co-captain of his school’s wrestling team, he has learned to be resilient and communicative, and plans to bring these skills to TeenHacks LI to widen the organization’s outreach and continue its mission.

Florence Liang, Public Relations

Florence Liang is a STEM scholar! As a rising sophomore at Camas High School, she continues to challenge herself by competing in science competitions and leading science camps. Through competing at her state's Science Olympiad competition, she's found a new passion for engineering and working with electronics. Additionally, she tutors younger kids in areas of math and science. Interacting with these young minds helps to develop leadership skills she's been acquiring since joining ASB in middle school. She hopes to bring all these useful skills to share with Teen Hacks LI!

Riya Sonawane, Public Relations

Riya just finished her junior year and is going into her senior year this fall. She is an open-minded individual who loves exploring. Hackathons serve as a profound source of inspiration for Riya. These intense events foster a dynamic and collaborative environment, fueling a deep passion for innovation and problem-solving which Riya thrives in. Within the fast-paced setting, Riya is driven to think creatively, apply her technical skills, and devise solutions under strict time constraints. As she aspires to have a career in the STEM field, hackathons offer her an ideal platform to explore her knowledge and expertise while addressing real-world challenges.